Health

Beijing registers first local Omicron case ahead of Winter Olympics

Beijing, Jan 16 (EFE).- Beijing has recorded its first local case of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant, less than three weeks before the 2022 Winter Olympics are due to kick off.

The Chinese National Health Commission (NHC) said Sunday that some 119 infections were reported in the past 24 hours across China, 65 of them were locally transmitted.

Omicron is likely to pose a challenge to the country’s efforts to protect the upcoming event through the Chinese zero-Covid strategy, which relies on tight lockdowns and mass testing.

Other regions in China have recorded Omicron infections, including nearby sleeper city Tianjin.

The Winter Games are set to start on February 4 under strict preventive measures as athletes and workers from abroad will remain in an isolated bubble throughout their stay in the Chinese capital.

Since the onset of the pandemic, China has seen 104,864 coronavirus infections, with related 4,636 deaths, according to NHC figures.EFE

smq/ch

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